Sporting legends including former Liverpool footballer Ian Rush and Australian tennis star Pat Cash are being lined up to add an extra sparkle to this year's World Rugby Classic.

The event, one of the highlights of Bermuda's sporting calendar, is being held at the National Sports Centre this year after ending its long association with Nationals in Devonshire.

Although the Classic is, and will remain, primarily a rugby event featuring the world's best former internationals, organiser John Kane said the new departure would make the event bigger and better than ever before.

Bermuda, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA, Argentina, Portugal/Spain, Canada and the Classic Lions will contest the tournament which begins on November 11 and runs through until November 18.

The Legends evening takes place in Hamilton on November 13.

"We are trying to create a situation whereby the Classic becomes a gathering of sporting legends rather than just simply rugby," Kane said. "So far three people have accepted our invitations. We have got Ian Rush, captain of Liverpool, Lynn Davies, the long jumper and gold medallist, and Cliff Morgan who was head of BBC Sport and played rugby for Wales."

Tennis' Cash was being spoken to about adding his name to the list and feelers were also out in the world of cricket.

Kane said he could not name the venue as yet, but said it would give people a chance to have a drink on an outdoor patio with the aforementioned stars who would reminisce about their past.

"The whole idea is to add something to the Classic and look for something new to do," he said.

Meanwhile, Kane said he was more than happy with the way things were developing at the National Sports Centre.

The organisers had overcome a problem involving an underground water system that prevented stakes for tents being driven deeply into the surface and were pleased that lighting had been provided.

"On the bright side, in more ways than one, is that one year ahead of time they have brought in the new lights for that part of the Centre. We are going to have tremendous new lighting which will be a big boost particularly for television purposes," said Kane.

"It had been a big concern. We were looking at one point at probably having to bring our lights up from National Sports Club which are not of a high enough standard for what we now want."

Kane said there would be a few things that would not be completed in time for this year's event, including the new pavilion.

"But what we will have is a first class international playing surface, first class lighting and to all intents and purposes really a first class arena. Overall we are really looking forward to moving up there," he said.

Kane said sad though leaving Nationals was, the time had come for the Classic to move to pastures new.

"Nationals was a great venue for us but by this time we had hoped to be making a lot of money on the Classic, which would have enabled us to put some of it into the National Sports Club to upgrade the facilities. Those facilities have been steadily deteriorating over the years, the field and the dressing rooms and everything else like that," he said. "It was really getting to the point where it was not up to the standard that we wanted to try and project for what is basically a very good international event. It really wasn't doing justice to Bermuda either and this new centre is going to do that.

"I think people who visit from overseas and see it on television are going to be impressed with what they see."